Space solar energy technology will become the future new energy

According to foreign media reports, according to a latest report from the International Academy of Astronautics in Paris, France, humans will master the space solar energy technology currently under development and put this plan into practice in the next ten or twenty years. More importantly, according to this report, under existing technological conditions, space solar energy technology may be an economically viable alternative to current commodity energy in the next 30 years.

In fact, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is pursuing its space solar energy technology demonstration program, with its satellite expected to be launched by the end of the next decade and a complete space solar energy test system to be established by 2030, according to Frank E. Little of the Aerospace Engineering Research Center at Texas A&M University.

According to the report of the International Academy of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the time is ripe for a concept demonstration program to verify the solar power satellite system, and this verification program is crucial to build confidence for engineers, decision makers and the public, while also promoting the maturity of space solar power technology and promoting the continued deployment of solar power satellites. However, the obstacle to deployment and even testing now is that many existing space solar power platforms are at the expense of launching the necessary equipment into orbit.

Frank said that there is a cost to prepare this necessary equipment, and this cost is also related to manned experiments. Because the experiment involves people, the consideration of safety risks increases the cost of this demonstration plan. In addition, the cost of transporting from Earth to the space station is several million dollars. This is why some experts in the field believe that conducting large-scale space solar power experiments may not be the best choice after considering the return on investment.

Stephen Sweeney of the University of Surrey in the UK, who works on the laser experiment in Germany, said the initial goal of this work is not to replace all existing energy supply systems, but to provide energy for special situations, such as disaster areas and war-torn areas.

The core concept of space solar power has been developed since the 1970s: placing solar panels on satellites, then transmitting the collected energy back to receivers on Earth, and finally converting it into electricity. Collecting sunlight in space means that solar panels must fully absorb solar energy at atmospheric pressure. Satellites in synchronous orbit with the earth can be exposed to sunlight all day long and avoid cloud cover. At the same time, due to the altitude of the satellite, the collected sunlight can be quickly re-transmitted to where it is most needed.